It was only into the third leg of his opening game in an ADC finals event in Ballymena on Sunday that Donegal darts player Dean Gallagher started off with a 180.
His next two darts also landed in the treble 20, but appeared to be blocking the way for his third to join them.
In the milliseconds that a darts player has to decide, Dean thought about switching for a treble 19.
However he instinctively threw at the treble 20 bed and somehow it landed in there beside the other two.
Dean says the next treble 20 and treble 19 went in like a breeze, leaving him with his final dart at double 12 for perfection.
"I just threw in the general direction of that double 12 and luckily it went in," Dean tells Darts In Ireland.
"I couldn't believe it as I've never even done a nine darter in practice at home, so to do one in competition is special."
As so often happens, however, the buzz of hitting that nine darter proved to be more of a hindrance than a help, as Dean actually went on to lose the game to his opponent Simon Dunn.
Dean said: "I actually started the next leg pretty good with a 140 but I don't know how as I was shaking with the adrenaline.
"It took me a while to calm down after it, and I lost the match, but there will be many more chances for me to win ADC events, I might never get that chance to hit a nine darter again."
However Dean says the fact that he has achieved such a feat will give him great confidence in the future.
He is planning to play at PDC Q school in January and if recent form is anything to go by, he will fancy his chances there.
Dean, an inter-county champion with Donegal, reached the last 16 of the WDF Irish Open in Killarney recently, only losing out in a last leg decider to eventual winner Marko Kantele , while he also made the last 16 of the Killarney Open and was part of the winning five-man team that won the All Ireland team event.
He is under no illusions at how difficult Q-school will be, though.
"It will be a different level altogether at Q-school, but I go there knowing that I've done something like hitting a nine darter in competition so that will give me confidence.
"It will be a great experience and I hope to do well when I am there."
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